The Taiwan Take

Mike Chinoy, a seasoned journalist and author, joins Taiwanese-Canadian filmmaker Frank W. Chen to discuss their documentary on Olympic legends C.K. Yang and Rafer Johnson. They reflect on the fierce rivalry and deep friendship between the two athletes during the 1960 Rome Olympics. The conversation explores Taiwan's evolving Olympic identity amid its complex political landscape and the personal struggles faced by athletes. They also share insights into the emotional journey of creating the documentary and the lasting legacy these icons have left behind.

Taiwanese writer Chi Ta-wei (紀大偉)'s 1996 novel “The Membranes” has seen global success in recent years, with translations in French, English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Italian, Finnish, Spanish, Danish, and forthcoming editions in Portuguese, Greek, and Vietnamese. “The Membranes” is a dystopian fiction set in the 22nd century. Climate change has devastated Earth, and humans now live at the bottom of the sea. The protagonist is a dermatologist named Momo who can read her clients’ memories through their skins. Chi Ta-wei is an important voice in Taiwanese queer literature.  We talk about the year 1994 - the era of Pulp Fiction, Nine Inch Nails, and Nirvana. In Taipei, a bookstore called FemBooks (女書店) was opened. Artists and students wanting international cinema flocked to the Golden Horse Film Festival.  One of Ta-wei’s contemporaries is the late author Qiu Miaojin (邱妙津). Ta-wei talks about why he and Qiu shared a fondness for Europe. We also talk about the Australian writer and translator Ari Heinrich who worked on English translations for both Chi Ta-wei and Qiu Miaojin. Chi Ta-Wei also talks about his appreciation for translators, and advice for writers, editors, and publishers who are working on bringing Taiwanese books to the world.  For French listeners, here’s our Interview with theater director Cédric Delorme-Bouchard on the stage adaptation that premiered in Montreal 2024: https://ghostisland.media/en/shows/france-taiwan/membrane-cedric-delorme-bouchard More on Chi Ta-wei: www.taweichi.com/ Links to the novel “The Membranes”: (In English) “The Membranes” translated by Ari Heinrich (University of Columbia Press, 2021) - https://cup.columbia.edu/book/the-membranes/9780231195713 (En français) “Membrane” traduit par Gwennaël Gaffric (L'Asiathèque. 2020) https://www.asiatheque.com/fr/livre/membrane 《膜》繁體中文版 (聯經出版, 1996) https://www.linkingbooks.com.tw/LNB/book/Book.aspx?ID=184182&vs=pc Tag and follow Ghost Island Media on social media: Instagram | Facebook | Twitter Support us by donating on Patreon - http://patreon.com/taiwan  EPISODE CREDIT Host / Emily Y. Wu @emilyywuEditing / Zack Chiang, Wayne TsaiResearcher / Skylar NguyenA Ghost Island Media production / @ghostislandmeSupport the show: https://patreon.com/TaiwanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

S. Leo Chiang, a Taiwanese filmmaker and co-founder of the Asian American Documentary Network, discusses his Oscar-nominated short documentary, Island in Between. He captures Taiwan's identity through Kinmen, a frontline in the Taiwan-China tension. Chiang shares his journey from being a 'parachute kid' to navigating multiple identities as Taiwanese and American. He also explores the challenges of promoting a documentary within a geopolitical context and highlights the growing efforts to preserve local heritage amid modernization.

The podcast delves into citizen diplomacy during the Ukraine war, Taiwan's aid efforts, and the challenges faced by Ukrainians in Taiwan. It also explores the relationship between Taiwan and Ukraine, the struggles of Ukrainian leaders, and the impact of misinformation in the war.

Reinhard Bütikofer is a familiar name in Europe and Taiwan relations. He has been a Member of European Parliament since 2009, where he is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, chairperson of the Delegation for Relations with China, and an alternate member of the Committee on International Trade. Reinhard also co-chairs IPAC, the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China. (This conversation was recorded prior to the 2024 January 13 election in Taiwan.)We discuss the history of Europe-Taiwan relations, how 2016 and 2019 paved the way for an increased level of engagement with Taiwan, and how Bütikofer stays hopeful (“pessimism of the intellect, and optimism of the will.”)Plus, a quote of hope from Hong Kong pro-democracy politician, Martin Lee.Bütikofer is the organizer of the annual Berlin Taiwan Conference. See archive video here: 2022 - “Opportunities and Challenges in Times of Geopolitical Change” (Dec 5, 6)Day 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeDzUT7EpB0Day 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTrFoRWu8ow2023 - “Taiwan before the Presidential Elections” (Nov 13,14)Day 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG4s_6Q_zocDay 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTKynM7SURsSupport us by donating on Patreon http://patreon.com/taiwan Tag and follow us on social media:Ghost Island Media | Instagram | Facebook | TwitterEPISODE CREDITHost / Emily Y. Wu @emilyywuEditing / Gerald WilliamsResearcher / Min Chao @wordsfromtaiwanA Ghost Island Media production / @ghostislandmewww.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/TaiwanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This limited series explores policy debates in Taiwan, focusing on defense. It covers Taiwan's defense budget, military conscription, and China's threats to take over Taiwan. The podcast discusses defense adjustments, challenges faced by Taiwan's armed forces, and proposed strategies. It also explores perspectives on maintaining peace and the views of presidential candidates on foreign policies, defense, and US-China relations.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays!Prior to moving to Taiwan, Louis Heng had spent time in Singapore, Germany, Malta, and Scotland. Louis’ first time in Taiwan was with the Singaporian military. He then worked briefly as an airline pilot before entering a career in life insurance. In this episode, Louis and Emily talk about relocation with your family, managing and navigating multi-cultural teams, and Germany’s famous Oktoberfest.This episode is a sponsored collaboration with the Taiwan Gold Card Office.Interested in moving to Taiwan? Find out more about this open work-permit and residency visa at https://goldcard.nat.gov.twEPISODE CREDITHost / Emily Y. Wu @emilyywuProject Manager / Serena PaiEditing / Gerald WilliamsSupport the show: https://patreon.com/TaiwanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As global attention on Taiwan intensifies, so does the significance of the work undertaken by domestic journalists. Today we speak with Taipei-based journalists as Taiwan gears up for its presidential and legislative election on January 13th, 2024. This is a collaboration with the NüVoices Podcast.  Many thanks to the team at NüVoices partnering with us for this collaborative episode.  Today's guests are: Silva Shih -  Head of data journalism at CommonWealth Magazine (天下雜誌) in Taiwan, where she’s also a managing editor. Silva had previously spent five years at the Financial Times Chinese in Beijing where she oversaw data-driven stories, graphics and cross-strait relations coverage. Wen-Yee Lee - A tech reporter with Business Weekly Magazine (商業周刊) in Taiwan, covering Taiwan’s semiconductor supply chain. She has been covering the semiconductor industry since 2018.  Afore Hsieh -  A local fixer for the Asia bureau of the French-language network of CBC, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Prior to being a news assistant, Hsieh was a digital project manager at United Daily News in Taiwan. Taiwan’s upcoming election has become one of the most closely monitored events in decades, drawing the attention of foreign press members, international scholars, and think-tanks. This heightened interest is reflected not only in the increased number of books published about Taiwan, spanning countries such as Denmark, Germany, and the U.S., but also in the creation of numerous high-quality newsletters dedicated to Taiwan this year. Links to stories mentioned in the discussion: “The Direst Straits : Why the Chinese Military Has Increased Activity Near Taiwan” by Silva Shih (Commonwealth Magazine, 2021) “Uncovering the US-China Tech War: The Chip Rush in 21st Century America” by Wen-Yee Lee (Business Weekly, 2022) “Un musée pour combattre le tabou des menstruations à Taïwan” by Philippe Leblanc with Afore Hsieh (CBC/Radio-Canada, 2022)Support us by donating on patreon.com/taiwanTag and follow us on social media: Ghost Island Media | Instagram | Facebook | TwitterHost - Emily Y. Wu @emilyywuResearch - Khera GanongoEditing, Music - NüVoicesSupport the show: https://patreon.com/TaiwanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“Made in Taiwan: Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation” includes over 130 recipes and stories of the food in Taiwan, its history, and its people. It’s been named a Best Cookbook of Fall 2023 by Bon Appetitit, Forbes, Food & Wine, New York Magazine, Eater, and Tasting Table. It was published by Simon & Schuster in September, 2023.Clarissa Wei has been a food journalist for a decade - writing about Asian cuisine in the L.A Times, about Nicaragua for VICE, on China for Goldthread of the SCMP. Her writings on the intersection of food and politics appear regularly in the New York Times, the Guardian, and The New Yorker. She’s based in Taipei.Support the show by donating on patreon.com/taiwanTag and follow us on social media: Ghost Island Media | Instagram | Facebook | TwitterProduced by Ghost Island Media Producer, Host - Emily Y. Wu @emilyywuResearch / Khera GanongoProduction - www.ghostisland.mediaSupport the show: https://patreon.com/TaiwanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winner of 2023 Golden Melody Award in Best Arrangement, Jen-Ting Chien 簡任廷 and Jen-Yu Chien 簡任佑 are the two pieces of Twincussion 雙子二重奏. Jen-Ting and Jen-Yu trained at the Royal Danish Academy of Music. In 2018 they played in Carnegie Hall. In 2023 they were selected for Center Stage, a cultural-exchange program from the U.S. Department of State. The brothers are versatile in Western classical music, Taiwanese folk, and new works by contemporary composers. This episode is fun to listen to, but it’s even more fun to watch!This is the podcast edition of "Game Changers with Emily Y. Wu". Watch the video of this conversation on TaiwanPlus - https://gimpod.me/gamechangers-twincussion-musicGet in touch with Ghost Island MediaFacebook - https://fb.com/ghostislandmeInstagram - @ghostislandme  Twitter - @ghostislandmeProduced by Ghost Island MediaProducer, Host - Emily Y. Wu Associate Producer, Co-Writer - Ting YehResearcher - Min Chao Podcast Editor - Dino LinProduction Assistance - Teresa Yen, Gerald WilliamsDirector for Video - Laticia Fan Post-Production Supervisor - Kaley EmersonVideo Editor - Emma Chou, Vivi WangCopyright by, and First Broadcasted on TaiwanPlusExecutive Producer - Shirley Keng, Kelly Kuo    Supervisor - Eric Yang    Production Coordinator - Jenny LuoSupport the show: https://patreon.com/TaiwanSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.